The first game back home following a lengthy road trip can sometimes be tricky.
But the Buffalo Sabres, who were riding a 12-game losing streak into TD Garden on Saturday night, were expected to provide a nice landing spot with the Boston Bruins back home for the holidays.
That didn’t exactly happen, though.
The struggling Sabres gave the Bruins everything they could handle before Boston prevailed late in the third period thanks to a power-play goal from Morgan Geekie to earn a narrow 3-1 win. Buffalo actually outshot Boston in the contest, 20-18.
It looked like at first everything would go to plan and the Bruins would make light work of the Sabres. Boston took a 1-0 lead 8:15 into the opening period when Charlie Coyle found himself in the right place at the right time. Coyle emerged from the penalty box with the puck coming his way and no Sabres defensemen in sight. He initially was denied by James Reimer on his breakaway bid, but stayed with the puck that was loose in the crease and Coyle jammed it in while on his backside.
But the Bruins had a difficult time expanding on their lead, giving the Sabres hope that this would be the time they got a win. Boston certainly had its chances to leave Buffalo behind, but the Bruins couldn’t convert on two power-play opportunities in the second period. Geekie even had a goal wiped away with 12:44 left in the third as it was overturned on video review due to offsides.
With the door left ajar, the Sabres leveled the score on the power play with less than two minutes remaining in the second period. The Bruins couldn’t clear the defensive zone and JJ Peterka’s shot beat Joonas Korpisalo (19 saves).
But the Bruins didn’t unravel in the finale frame with Geekie slapping a shot past Reimer with 1:45 left and Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal to put the Sabres in their place.
It wasn’t the prettiest performance from the Bruins, but it didn’t have to be. They just needed to put two points in their stocking and keep on moving.
